1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a stuffing apparatus utilizing a magazine and more particularly to such a stuffing apparatus which operates automatically and dependably to stuff objects, such as olives, with a stuffing material, such as pimento, and further which operates with a speed and precision particularly well suited to the commercial production of stuffed olives.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art contains a host of devices related to the coring and/or stuffing of objects, such as olives, on a commercial basis. These devices, and particularly those relating to the stuffing of olives with pimento, have been plagued with such difficulties as handling a flowable mass of stuffing material, separating the material into discrete portions suitable for stuffing, aligning each portion of material with the object to be stuffed, manipulating the cavity of the object to be stuffed for receipt of the portion of material and finally injecting the portion of material into the cavity without loss of the material, damage to the object, or jamming of the device.
Because of these and other difficulties attendant to the stuffing of olives and the like, prior art devices have proved less than completely satisfactory. They are often temperamental in operation, subject to frequent breakdown, in need of periodic adjustment and often become inoperative as a result of accumulated residue from the stuffing material which jams the operative components. The down time resulting from these problems constitutes a considerable drain on an otherwise efficient commercial operation.
Therefore, it has long been known and recognized that it would be desirable to have a stuffing apparatus having particular utility in the commercial stuffing of olives which is extremely rapid, dependable and efficient; which produces finished products of high quality and pleasing market appearance; and which is not subject to the many difficulties inherent in the use of devices heretofore known in the industry.